The aroma of cooking filled the house: I sent my eldest brother to become the Grand Secretary.

"Shen Chen, would you be willing to be my student?" Grand Tutor Zhou looked at Shen Chen with anticipation, afraid that he would disagree.

Shen Chen felt like he was hallucinating. How could he have heard Grand Tutor Zhou say that he wanted to take him as a student?

When Grand Tutor Zhou saw that Shen Chen did not react, did he not want to be his student?

He asked again in a low voice, "Shen Chen, would you be willing to become my student, Zhou Mo? I will teach you everything I have learned in my life."

Shen Chen felt dizzy. It seemed like he heard his role model, Grand Tutor Zhou, say again that he wanted to take him as his disciple.

The headmaster nudged Shen Chen, who was in a daze, with his elbow.

"What are you daydreaming about? Grand Tutor Zhou is talking to you."

"Grand Tutor Zhou doesn't easily accept students. You must have had incredible luck to have Grand Tutor Zhou come all the way from the capital to find you."

"Hurry up, or Grand Tutor Zhou might change his mind."

Shen Chen then realized that he wasn't dreaming; it was real. Grand Tutor Zhou really wanted to take him as a student.

He never imagined that one day the person he had always regarded as a role model would personally come to him to become his student.

He walked toward Grand Tutor Zhou. In those few short steps, he felt as if his feet were filled with a thousand pounds, making every step incredibly solid.

With a loud "thump," the surrounding onlookers heard the sound of Shen Chen kneeling down.

That sound alone was painful.

Shen Chen seemed oblivious and kowtowed three times to Grand Tutor Zhou.

"Teacher, please accept my bow." If you listen carefully, you can hear the tremor in his voice.

He felt like he was dreaming the whole time; he truly didn't feel anything when he knelt down so heavily.

Grand Tutor Zhou was very pleased with Shen Chen and quickly helped him up himself.

“Xin’an County is indeed full of talented people. I met one of them at dinner yesterday, Shen Chen is one of them,” Grand Tutor Zhou said to Zhao Haoran.

"Oh? Grand Tutor Zhou has actually met other people he likes."

Grand Tutor Zhou smiled and stroked his beard. "It's just fate. It's not really an encounter, just a chance meeting."

Grand Tutor Zhou suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "How old is Shen Chen this year? Is he married?"

The headmaster was very puzzled as to why Grand Tutor Zhou would ask such a question, but he still spoke up, "As far as I know, Shen Chen is only eighteen years old this year and has never been married. As for whether his family has arranged a marriage for him, I do not know."

Grand Tutor Zhou was surprised that Shen Chen was only eighteen years old. He was truly a formidable young man.

At Shen Family Restaurant, after finishing their lunch shift, Mr. and Mrs. Shen, along with their siblings, were busy cleaning up the restaurant.

They were all wondering why Shen Chen hadn't returned even though it was already past noon.

Then they saw a group of people surrounding Shen Chen, happily walking towards Shen Family Restaurant.

The group exchanged bewildered glances. What was this...?

Before they could even speak, the people around them began to offer their congratulations.

"The Shen family, you've raised a fine son."

"Shen Chen not only passed the exam, but he was also the top scholar in this provincial examination."

"Yes, you'd better treat us properly this time."

Upon hearing this, both Mr. and Mrs. Shen's eyes welled up with tears.

His son actually passed the imperial examination with top honors, and he thought about how his son studied hard day and night.

They were all happy for their son.

Shen Cao looked at her elder brother with great satisfaction. "Congratulations, elder brother! I knew you could do it. You've finally achieved your goal."

Shen Chen was very happy. His efforts had not been in vain. What made him happiest was that he could finally start to protect his family from the wind and rain.

After seeing off the crowd who had come to join in the fun, the family finally sat down quietly in the main room.

Everyone's face was beaming with joy. "Big brother, you're amazing!" Shen Qing gave Shen Chen a thumbs up.

"Chen'er, you've worked so hard all these years." Mother Shen's eyes welled up with tears as she picked up a handkerchief to wipe them away.

Over the years, she has witnessed how hard her son has worked to study, to the point that he has even gone hungry and fainted from hunger.

The room light stays on until midnight every day, and I start reading again before dawn.

His efforts finally paid off.

Seeing her mother crying harder and harder, Shen Cao quickly went over and took her hand. "Mother, today is a happy day, let's not cry."

She took her mother's handkerchief and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Yes, today is the happiest day in the history of our Shen family. We should be happy."

"Chen'er, you're great. Your father isn't good with words, but over the years you've always felt guilty because you couldn't help the family."

“Actually, we have never felt that you have not helped the family. You are well-educated, polite, and will do your mother’s and your younger siblings a good job of educating them.”

"Your younger siblings are well-mannered and knowledgeable thanks to your upbringing. Who wouldn't envy your mother and me for that?"

"You've done us the biggest favor."

Shen Chen never expected his father to say such things in front of his younger siblings. His voice choked with emotion, "Father, I..."

Mr. Shen waved his hand, "Even if you don't pass the imperial examination in the end, we won't feel anything."

“Reading is something you enjoy. If you are willing to study and pursue academic success, we will fully support you.”

"If one day you say you don't want to study anymore and want to learn carpentry from me, we'll be willing."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We are family. Family members should rely on each other, not just give or take."

"Father." Shen Chen hadn't shed a tear in a long time since he could remember, but his father's words today finally made him unable to hold back his tears.

His family is the best family in the world. It is because of his family that he studies even harder, wanting to become their support.

The others nodded emphatically after hearing what Shen's father said.

Shen Cao walked up to her eldest brother and gently hugged him. Shen Qing and Shen Wan followed their eldest sister's example and hugged their eldest brother as well.

Shen Chen could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

Didn't we agree that today was a happy day and we wouldn't cry? His father said those words for no reason, which made him burst into tears.

Mother Shen walked up to Father Shen, who embraced her. The two looked at the children huddled together with a look of satisfaction.

After crying, Shen Chen remembered that there was something he hadn't told his family.

"Father, Mother, something else happened today."

"Grand Tutor Zhou publicly accepted me as his student."

Shen Cao asked in confusion, "Who is Grand Tutor Zhou?"

Shen Chen then introduced Grand Tutor Zhou to Shen Cao and the others. After listening to her elder brother's description, Shen Cao felt that it was somewhat familiar.

When Mr. and Mrs. Shen heard that Grand Tutor Zhou had taken Chen'er as his apprentice, they were extremely excited.

"Grand Tutor Zhou has actually come to Xin'an County."

Shen Chen then recounted in detail what had happened that day.

"I never imagined that you, Chen'er, would be in such a predicament."

"And what about you? Would you like to become Grand Tutor Zhou's student?"

“I am willing. It is a blessing I have earned in my past life to be able to study under Grand Tutor Zhou.”

"That's good. But isn't Grand Tutor Zhou going back to the capital this week? Does that mean you'll be going to the capital too?"

Everyone else was taken aback. Was their eldest brother going to the capital?